Track-sander for locomotives.



No. 656,553. r Patented Aug. 2|, I900.

H. L. LEAG'H.

TRACK SANDER FOR"LOCOM0-TIVES.

Application filed Aug. 31, 18993 4 SheetsSheet II.

(No Model.)

m: yonms FETIRG 00.. PHOTO'LITNO wAsnmuwu. n c.

No. 656,553. Patented Aug. 2|, I900.

v H. L. LEACH.

TRACK SANDER FOR LOCOMOTlVES.-

(Application filed Aug. 31, 1899.)

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

m2 Moms PETER cof. PHOTO LIYNO., WASNINGTON, a, c.

No. 656,553. Patented Aug. 2|, I900.

H. L. LEACH.

TRACK SANDER FOR LOCOMOTIVES.

(Applization filed Aug. 31, 1899.) i

(No Model.) 4 Sheets8heet 3.

w m A w rug? E; i :2

Patented Aug. 2|, I900.

5 H. L. LEAGH. TRACK SANDER roa. LOCOMOTIVES.

(Appliqation filed Aug. 31, 189 9.)

4 Sheets$heel 4.

(No Model.)

cov PHOYQLITNDW wAsumumm 0, c4

\ UNrrn'n STATES- PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY L. LEAori, on CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE AMERICAN LoooMoT vEsANDER COMPANY, or CAMDEN, NEW JERSEY.

TRACK-SANDER FOR LOCOMOTIVES.

SPECIFICATION forming a er Letters iPatent No. 656,553, dated August 21, 1900. Application filed August 31, 1899. Serial No. 729,021. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern: with my invention. Fig.9 is a plan or top Be it known that I, HENRY L. LEACH, a view of the ejector structure of the same. citizen of the United States, and a resident of Fig. is a sectional plan view on the line 0 0, Cambridge, Massachusetts, have invented Fig. 8. Fig. 11 is a side elevation of the 5 certain Improvements in Pneumatic Trackejector structure of a single sander, and Fig. Sanders for Locomotives, of which the follow- 12 is a longitudinal section'of the same on the ing is a specification. line (Z d.

One object ofmyinvention is to provide efli Referring first to Figs. 1 and 2, the sandcient means for supplying sand to the point of box of the locomotive is represented at 1, and 1o contactbetween the driving wheeler wheels of on each side of this sand-box is a projecting alocomotive and the rail toinsure an effective enlargement or boss 2, containing a sandpressure of air for removing obstructions and delivery passage, to which access can be had discharging the sand from the delivery-pipes when desired by removing a screw-plug 3, and to prevent the air from blowing back into which normally closes an opening in the top 15 the sand-box in case a delivery-pipe is obof said boss. Projecting from the boss isa structed, so as to prevent the free delivery of pipe 4, which is coupled by any ordinary sand therefrom, another object being to proform of union 5 to a pipe '6, and the latter vide for regulation of the amount of sand decommunicates with a multiple coupling-head livered, a further object being to prevent 7, which receives the upper ends of a series 2o choking of the 'air blast nozzle, astillfurther of stand-pipes S, 9, and 10, three of these object being to provide for feeding sand at stand-pipes being used in the triple sander two or more points simultaneously on each which is shown in Fig. 1. The lower ends of side of the engine, as desired, andafinal obthese stand-pipes 8, 9, and 10 are united, by ject being to provide a ready means for cutmeans, of suitable couplings, to a triple-ejec- 2 5 ting off the sand froma multiple trap or sandtor structure 11, preferably located below the ejector in order to permit of the cleaning of running-board of the engine and containing the different chambers of said trap. These three independent chambers or passages S, objectslattain in the manner hereinafter set 9 and 10 as shown in Figs. 5, 6, and 7. forth, reference being had to the accompanylVith the lower end of each of these cham- 8o 0 ing drawings, in whichbers communicates an ejector and a sand dis- Figure 1 represents sufficient of a locomocharge or delivery pipe, the latter pipes being tive-engine to illustrate the application therenumbered, respectively, 8", 9", and 10". The to of that form of my invention which I depipe SKdelivers sand in front of the forward nominate a triple sander. Fig. 2 is a dia" driver of the engine, the pipe 9 delivers sand 3 5 grammatic representation of the pipe system in front of a driver behind the leader, in the of said sander, this view showing in'onepart' present instance the third driver, and the a section through the nozzle-chambers of the pipe 10" delivers sand behind the rear driver. triple ejector'and in another'part a section The various ejectors are supplied with air through the supply-pipes above said triple through three pipes 8, 9,land 10, the pipes 0 o ejector. Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical sec- 8 and 9 being coupled to a pipe 12, which tion of one of the nozzle structures of the has a valve 13 to be operated by the engineer, ejector. Fig. 4 is an inverted plan view of the said pipe 12 being connected to the main airsame, partly in section. Fig. 5 is a view,partly supply pipe 14 at any convenient point. The

in side elevation and partly in section, of the pipe 10 also has avalve 15' to be operated by 5 45 stand-pipes,coupling-head, and ejector structhe engineer, and said pipe 10 is likewise in ture ofthe'triple sander. Fig. 6 is a sectional communication with the main air-supply pipe plan view of the same on the line a a, Fig. 5. 1a. In the pipes 8 and 9 are stop-cocks 16 Fig. 7 is a transverse section on the line b b, and 17, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, so that Fig. 5. Fig. 8 is a side elevation of the standwhen the valve 13 is open air may be directed mo 50 pipes, coupling-heads, and ejector structure through either or both of these pipes, dependof a double sander constructed in accordance ing upon the adjustment of the stop-cocks 16 and 17. Hence sand can be delivered in front of either the forward driver or the third driver or in front of both, as desired,while the opening of the valve 15 in the pipe 10 will eifect the delivery of sand behind the rear driver, as may be required when the engine is reversed jor backing up. Each of the pipes 8, 9, and 10 supplies ejector structures on opposite sides of the engine, the branches of the pipes being carried across beneath the boiler. It will be evident that this idea of the multiple ejector may be extended so as to deliver sand in front of more than twodrivers and in the rear of more than one, if'

desired.

The provision of the stand-pipes is of importance, since by this means a long column of sand is provided between the sand-box and the ejector-nozzle, and this entire column of sand must I be displaced before air can be blown back into the sand-box orinto any other delivery-pipe than the one intended. Hence a pressureof air equal to the resistance to displacement afforded by such long column of sand is always available when the sander is in operation for forcing sand through and from the delivery-pipe. Hence there is always a forcible projection of the sand directly to the point of contact between the Wheel and rail and very little likelihood of the delivery of sand being prevented by obstructions in the delivery-pipe.

Each of the chambers 8, 9, and 10 of the ejector structure has at the bottom an opening closed by a screw-plug 18, so that ready access may be had to any of the chambers for the purpose of removing therefrom pebbles or particles of foreign matter which may accumulate therein and which are too large to be blown through the delivery-pipes. Before removing either of the plugs 18 the flow of the sand into the chambers of the ejector structure must be cut off, and this can be readily effected by removing the plug 3 and inserting a wad of waste or other suitable obstruction into the sand-delivery passage formed in the boss 2, thus cutting off the flow of sand to all three of the stand-pipes and permittin g all three of the chambers in the ejector structure to be cleaned at one time, the wad of waste or other obstruction being removed and the plug 5 reinserted after such cleaning has been effected.

Each of the air-jet nozzles 20 has an adjustable jet-pipe 21, which in the present instance is made in the form of a threaded tube screwed into a threaded opening in that portion of the nozzle which projects into the ejector-chamber, so that by turning said jet-pipe its discharge end may be moved into any desired relation to the receiving end or mouth of the sand-delivery pipe and the amount of sand discharged in a given time by the ejector thereby readily regulated it being understood livery pipe the greater will be the amount of sand delivered. The jet-pipe can be secured in position after adjustment by tightening a jam-nut 22, adapted to the thread of the jetpipe and bearing upon the end of the nozzle, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4.

One of the previous objections to pneumatic' sanders of the class to which'my invention relates has been that in case of the obstruction of one of the delivery-pipes of a pair, the air backed up under full pressure therein would when the main pressure-valve was closed flow backward and carry sand through the ejector-nozzle, thereby choking or obstructing the same or the passage or passages leading thereto. In order to overcome this objection, I now use, in combination with the nozzle, a check-valve 23, which is preferably adapted to a seat in the nozzlecasing, or it may be otherwise located, it being preferable, however, to locate it as closely as possible to the discharge end of the nozzle.- The stem of this valve has a nut 24:, between which and a bearing in the nozzle-casing is interposed a spiral spring 25, which tends to close the valve to its seat when there is no air-pressure upon it, but permits the valve to open when the air is turned on. Immediately upon the cutting oif of the air to either nozzle therefore the check-valve will be closed and any backflow of air therethrough will be prevented, Consequently the objection 'above noted will be effectually overcome.

Between the nozzle 20 and the air-supply pipe for the same I interpose a casing 26, having ateach end a screen 27, this casing containing passages 28 and 29, connected by a short transverse passage 30, of small diameter, the casin g 26 having in line with said passage a screw-plug 31, which can be removed whenever it is desired to gain access to the passage for testing or cleaning purposes. A screen is thus provided to prevent air which is traveling in either direction through the casing 26 from carrying with it foreign particles of such size as would have a tendency to choke the passages 28, 29, and 30. The purpose of the contracted passage 30 is to equalize the supply of air to the nozzles 20 on opposite sides of the engine.

In Figs. 8, 9, and 10 I have illustrated my engine as applied to a duplex ejector having one nozzle for causing a flow of sand through a pipe 8", leading to the forward drivingwheel of the engine, and another ejector for causing a flow of sand through a pipe 10 leading to a point behind the rear wheel of the engine, and the stand-pipe idea may also be applied to single ejectors-such, for instance, asthat shown in Figs. 11 and 12.

It will be noted on reference to Fig. 1 that each of the sand-delivery pipes extends upward for a short distance immediately adjacent to the injector-casing, the purpose of this construction being to trap the sand at the receiving end of each pipe, so as to prevent it from sifting out onto the track when the engine is running with the air out oflf, and so,

IIO

also, as to prevent the accumulation of a large volume of sand in either of the horizontal pipes, which would have to be displaced by the air when it was first turned on and which might ofier such an obstruction as to cause the air to blow back into the sand-box.

Having thus described my invention, 1 claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. The combination in a pneumatic tracksander for locomotives, of a multiple ejector, a series of stand-pipes having a single connection with the sand-box, and so disposed as to maintain a column of sand above each chamber of the ejector so as to prevent blowing back of air into the sand-box when either of the sand-delivery pipes is obstructed, sub stantially as specified.

2. The combination in a pneumatic tracksander for locomotives, of a multiple ejector having a series of chambers each with cleaning-opening therein, and a single sand-supply pipe having branches communicating with said chambers of the ejector, said single pipe having a plugged opening whereby it may be obstructed and the flow of sand to all of the ejector-chambers thus out off when it is desired to clean either of the same, substantially as specified.

3. The combination in a pneumatic tracksander for locomotives, of a multiple ejector havingdelivery-pipes discharging in front of two or more of the driving-wheels, and in the rear of one or more of the driving-wheels, substantially as specified;

4. The combination in a pneumatic tracksander for locomotives, of an ejector having two chambers each with ejector-nozzle, and sand-delivery pipe, air-supply pipes for each of said nozzles, stop-cocks in each of said pipes, and asingle valved connection whereby both of the pipes are placed in communication with the main air-supply pipe, substantially as specified.

5. The combination in a pneumatic tracksander for locomotives, of an ejector having three chambers each with ejector-nozzle and sand-delivery pipe, the pipes of two of the chambers discharging in front of the drivingwheels of the engine, and that of the other chamber discharging in the rear of one of said wheels, two pipes for supplying air to the nozzles of the forward delivery-chambers, each of said pipes having a stop-cock and both communicating through a single valved pipe with the main air-pipe,and an air-supply pipe for the nozzle of the third ejector-chamber, said pipe being independently valved, substantially as specified.

6. The combination in a pneumatic tracksanderforlocomotives, of an ejector structure communicating with the sand-box and having an air-jet nozzle and a sand-delivery pipe, and a check-valve located in the airpipe behind the nozzle for preventing backflow of air and sand through the nozzle, said check-valve being provided with means for restricting its approach toward the nozzle,substantially as specified.

7. The combination in a pneumatic track sander for locomotives, of an ejector struc ture having an air-jet nozzle and sand-delivery pipe, with a structure interposed between the nozzle and the air-supply pipe therefor and having contracted passages separated by screens from the air-supply pipe and nozzle, substantially as specified.

8. The combination in a pneumatic tracksander for locomotives, of a sand-delivery pipe having ahorizontal run and downwardlybent discharging end,with the ejector located below the sand-box so as to interpose a column of sand between the two, said ejector having its discharge-nozzle slightly-below the horizontal run of the delivery-pipe whereby the latter must be bent downward when it approaches the ejector-casing so as to form a trap adjacent to said casing, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HENRY L. LEACH.

Witnesses:

MARY E. LEAOH, GRACE LAMSON. 

